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Center for Education

Dr. Richard Schwartzstein’s career embodies his own commitment to lifelong
learning and to reinforcing the importance of education, along with patient
care and research, in academic medicine.

“At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, we know that education is at the
heart of patient care. I am inspired by the passion, curiosity and
dedication of our faculty, trainees, and students. They care about being
the best doctors possible, and I am motivated to do everything in my power
to support their efforts in teaching and learning.

“My interest in education dates back to my college years. As a major in
political science while also pursuing premedical studies, I was exposed to
a wide range of teaching formats and opportunities. I have benefited
throughout my career by contact with caring professors and mentors and have
become convinced that the two most important things we can do as educators
are to inspire and challenge our learners.

“As a scientist, I have approached medical education much as I have
medicine; I believe that BIDMC and HMS should be leaders in education
research as much as they are in the study of human health and disease.”

Following residency and chief residency in Internal Medicine at BIDMC and a
fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Brigham & Women’s
Hospital, Dr. Schwartzstein joined the HMS faculty in 1986. At the outset
of his clinical career, he pursued research on the relationship of basic
physiological mechanisms of breathing and respiratory sensations with
dyspnea. He actively collaborates with laboratories under the direction of
Dr. Robert Banzett. Dr. Schwartzstein’s work has resulted in a greater
understanding of the distinct qualitative aspects of dyspnea, the links
between the language used by patients to describe their breathing
discomfort, and the underlying pathophysiologic disorders causing dyspnea
and the origins of chest tightness in asthma. Dr. Schwartzstein is
currently Associate Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and
Sleep Medicine at BIDMC, where he directs the Asthma and Dyspnea Center, a
multi-disciplinary program that is one of only two national centers for the
study and treatment of dyspnea.

While pursuing clinical care and physiologic research, he became
increasingly involved in formal teaching roles beginning with leadership of
the respiratory section of Integrated Human Physiology (IHP) in the
first-year curriculum at HMS in 1996. This was followed by his elevation to
the role of course director for IHP in 2000, and the position of Director
of Graduate Medical Education at BIDMC in 2001. A graduate of the Rabkin
Fellowship in Medical Education, Dr. Schwartzstein led a strategic planning
process for education at BIDMC in AY2004 which resulted in the creation of
the Center for Education at BIDMC and his appointment as Vice President for
Education.

Dr. Schwartzstein has initiated many programs to engage learners from
multiple disciplines and learning levels. As Director of the Center for
Education, he established the Office of Education Research for the purpose
of studying the effectiveness of educational interventions on learning and
patient care. As Director of the Academy at Harvard Medical School, He
works with the educational leadership of faculty with academies at major
Harvard teaching hospitals, to broaden and strengthen scholarship and
innovation in medical education, and foster the careers of medical
educators. As a senior faculty member and educator, he also led a major
curriculum reform at Harvard Medical School, implemented in 2015. Rich’s
current educational interests focus on the development of critical thinking
and problem-solving.

In 2015, the BIDMC Board of Directors approved implementation of a
Strategic Plan for Education under Dr. Schwartzstein’s direction. The plan
was developed with the contributions and leadership of hospital-wide
faculty and staff, and major recommendations were made for innovations in
educational content, faculty teaching models, assessment, and educational
infrastructure. Work is underway on all aspects of this multi-year project.
Dr. Schwartzstein states, “The goal of the Strategic Plan for Education is
to establish Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as the top educational
program among academic medical centers in the United States.”